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In Part One of the series on methamphetamines, we took a look at the origins anduse of street meth, commonly known as speed. In the late 80's a new, far morepotent form of this drug was becoming known for it's extreme potency and longlasting, intense highs.Instead of the sludgy often semi-liquid meth normally sold, this wasa crystalline, rocklike substance, that produced an immediate and very euphoricrush. Again the West Coast and Hawaii were the first to feel the impact of thisdesigner meth.One of the most troubling problems to come out of usingcrystal, is increased, often uncontrollable sexual urges. Male users have beenquoted in major studies, stating they have had up to 500 sexual partners, whileusing crystal meth. They can go for hours on end, without ejaculation, leading tomultiple sexual encounters without the use of condoms. They claim the urge for sexis insatiable, and they can't seem to exert any control over their actions whileunder its influence. Yet, while crashing, they end up feeling empty and spent.In the gay community, party clubs are often hubs for groupsof these users, who dance to a dull throbbing music, and endlessly seek sexualgratification. Los Angeles and San Francisco are experiencing a huge increase inantibiotic resistant STD's and HIV, including more virulent forms, that aredirectly attributable to the use of crystal meth.The gay community is not the only sector of our societyimpacted by this hypersexualized behavior. Mainstream rave and party clubsprovide, and even encourage both the use of ice and the mindless sex thataccompanies it. In addition date rape drugs like rufi's and ecstasy are freelyavailable, leaving many young men and women totally unaware of the dangers theyface-not only from multiple rapes to HIV exposure.In my opinion, the saddest are the children who are livingin homes where this drug is available. The incidences of sexual molestation andrape are extremely high. Given the above information, it isn't hard to understandwhy this would be common. If an adult-and I use that term loosely here, can't findanother outlet, what better than a helpless child?These are the true victims of this epidemic, our children.Not only do they suffer from neglect and the violence they witness between adults,they suffer environmental effects that can impact them all their lives. Whensexual abuse is present, the shame is overwhelming. These children rarely talkabout home or confide in anyone. They live with the huge outbursts of rage andparanoia this drug induces, and are terrified to even hint at what's happening athome. If they place trust in the wrong person, they know perfectly well they willend up dead.Meth users range in age from 8 to as old as 60 in rarecases. Many women use the drug to lose weight and attain that anorexic ideal soespoused by our society. Men may begin by taking it to alleviate depression orexperience an increase in power and acuity, only to find themselves hopelesslyaddicted.If you even suspect a loved one or friend is usingthis drug, you must try and help get intervention. So many families and lives arebeing destroyed by this hugely popular narcotic. Learn to look for the signs ofmeth use, and be aware of where your children are and who they spend time with. Ifyou notice these signs, get help.
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